Improvement in cotton-presses



Ulvrrnn sfrnfrns Ferarri' OFFICE.

lMPRVEMENT IN COTTON-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l18,142, dated August15, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ItANsOM MAULDIN, of Marietta, in the county ofPrentiss and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Cotton-Presses; and I do hereby decla-re that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction andoperation ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawing makinga part of this specieation, and to the letters and iigures of referencemarked thereon.

Figure l of the drawing is a side view of my press. Fig. 2 is an endview, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

rlhis invention consists in the construction of an improvedcotton-press; the object being the production of a machine forcompressing cotton and the like into bales for convenience in storageand transportation, and amachine easily operated, small in dimensions,and comparatively inexpensive.

Referring to the drawing accompanying this speciiication, the frame isin the general form shown, consisting of sills, posts, and plates. Eachend of the frame is formed of a sill, A, which supports two posts, A'and A", the posts being connected at the top by a plate, A'". These endsare connected at the top by a cross-plate, B, and at the bottom by across-sill, B', which has a projection extending between and beyond theend posts A' and A", and which projection serves as a support for thevertical posts (l and U', which are connected at the top to the platesA'", and which serve as guides for the frame of the follower-block K andas supports for the cograils E and E'. The end pieces or posts are alsoconnected at the front and back by side pieces F and F', which, with theend posts, form a boX for the reception of the cotton or substance to becompressed. The sill B has secured upon its upper side strips b, and thefollower-block has upon its under side strips b'. These strips pressdirectly upon the substance compressed, and serve also to support thedetached pieces G, G', G", and G'" when they are placed in position atthe sides and ends of the strips within the frame and upon the sill B'to form the compressing-box H. rlhe box-pieces G and G' are providedwith ledges at their ends, and their upper edges are beveled to t thebeveled edges of the side pieces F and F', .and the box-pieces G" andG'" are beveled on their backs to fit inside of the ledges ou the sidebox-pieces G and G', which are held in position by bars serving as keys,which are pressed under the projections c, c', c", and c'", and againstthe outside ofthe box-pieces G and G'. rlhe sills B are fastened to thesills A by staples and pins d. The followerblock is formed of the blockK, rollers K' and K" to move on the posts C and C', and the sideframe-pieces l and Z',`which project beyond and on each side of theposts C and C' to form bearings for the shafts m and m', one on eachside of the press. The shafts m and fm' are each provided with aratchetwheel, n, and detached pawls n' and n", a pinion-wheel, o, towork in or upon the cog-track or cog-rails E and E', a drum, p, providedwith holes p' for hand-spikes; and clutch-collars q and q', the collarsq having a hole and pin, so that it may be fastened and unfastened toand from the drum p, and the collar q having a leverarm, q".

To use the machine, unfasten the clutch-collar q by removing the pin,throw back the pawls u', and turn the drum with hand-spikes or otherwiseso that the pinion-wheels o will move up on the cog-rails, and thuselevate the follower-block to the upper part of the frame; turn thepawls n" against the ratchets to hold the follower-block in position.Place the detached box-pieces G, G', G", and G'" in position on the sillB', and put in place the key-bars. Put the substance to be pressed intothe press; push it down well by some suitable means; and, wh en thepress is full, detach the pawls' n", and put in position the pawls n';insert the pin through the clutchcollar q, and, by means of theclutch-collar q' and and lever q", force down the follower-block untilit reaches the proper position at the lower edge of the side pieces Fand F', when the substance will be sufficiently compressed, and it maybe removed, by removing the key-bars and box-pieces G and G', to allowthe bale to be taken out.

l. The combination and arrangement of the shaft m, pawls u' and a",ratchet o, pinion-wheel o, drum p, clutch-collars q and q', and oog-railE, In testimony that I claim the above I have all constructedsubstantially as and for the purhereunto subscribed my name in thepresence pose set forth. of two Witnesses.

2. In combination with the subject-matter of RANSOM MAULDIN. the rstclaim, a follower-block7 consisting of side Witnesses: frame-piece l andZ', rollers K and K, and A. W. DAVIS,

block K, for the purpose specified. C. S. WILLIAMS.

